Getting Frenched at Le Central
Five: the number of hours the average American has in a workweek to eat lunch. The other 35 are spent pointing, clicking, ctrl+alt+deleting, and, of course, eye-rolling. That precious hour in the middle of the day should not be wasted on Wonderbread and Cheetos; lunch exists for more than week-old soup and saltine crackers. Enter: Le Central.
The local Denver spot serves up lunch five days a week in an authentically French atmosphere. With the smell of freshly baked brioche and a serving staff that can say "bonjour" with a convincing accent, this is the closest a Denverite will get to Paris in a quick hour. For the cost of overcooked pasta at a nearby chain, Le Central provides two pounds of mussels and unlimited fries for only $9.95. Plus, if the promise of two-for-one drinks is too far off into the future, the good people at the bar will shake (or stir) a $3 house martini to complement any of the lunch choices. And what better way to mull through the afternoon than a stomach full of buttery mollusks and some well-deserved booze?
The chef offers nearly a dozen mussel dishes, from traditional moules provençal (garlic, butter, parsley, Pernod, topped with breadcrumbs) to the adventurous moules en mouclade (white wine, shallots, and garlic accented by a light curry cream). While mussels are this spot's claim to fame, there are dishes for the non-shellfish lover as well. The menu changes daily, but the soupes du jour and the croque monsieur (open-face sandwich on house-made country bread, béchamel, and gruyere, topped with turkey breast) are often safe bets—and at only seven bucks a pop, these sandwiches are one of the best deals in town. For the vegetarians, the soupe a l'oignon (onion soup) and salade verte (mixed field greens with tarragon vinaigrette) are a winning combination.
So, take five and chow down Parisian style. Bon appétit.
